Dedicated to preserving Hickory Hill Park as a natural sanctuary for Iowa City.

There will be a public hearing from 2-3:30 pm today (Sunday, May 15) to discuss the consultant's recommendations for Hickory Hill Park. Meet at the Lower Hickory Hill entrance on Bloomington St. This is also the second day of the annual plant sale. Follow the link for more information.

Volunteers help maintain the park at workdays by performing trail maintenance, brush cutting, and garlic mustard pulls. For further information or to sign up, follow the link from the specific day.

Clothing Suggestions: For all events, wear closed-toed shoes and long, sturdy pants (no yoga-style pants). If you do not wear closed-toed shoes and long pants, you will be prevented from participating. Bring a pair of work gloves if you can, water, and a snack.

Volunteers are invited to help maintain the park at workdays to perform trail maintenance, brush cutting, and garlic mustard pulls. For further information or to sign up, follow the link from the specific day.

For all workdays, wear closed-toed shoes and long, sturdy pants (no yoga-style pants). If you do not wear closed-toed shoes and long pants, you will be prevented from participating. Bring a pair of work gloves if you can, water, and a snack.

The summer solstice may have just passed, but at FHHP Central we're already thinking about next year! Submit your photographs of Hickory Hill Park for the 2016 calendar. Send digital photos by July 15 to Friends.HH.Park@gmail.com.

All photos must have been taken in Hickory Hill Park. In the email, please provide your full name and address. Limit 10 submissions per person.

Learn to create a habitat for monarch butterflies and shop for milkweeds, other native flowers and plants, and an assortment of ornamental plants at the annual Monarch Madness and Plant Sale on Saturday, May 30, and Sunday, May 31, from 10 am to 4 pm both days, rain or shine. The sale, which is organized by the Friends of Hickory Hill Park, will be held at the pavilion at the south entrance to Hickory Hill Park located on Bloomington Street.

All proceeds of the plant sale support park stewardship and conservation projects.

Monarchs only lay their eggs on milkweed and a lack of milkweed and other environmental stressors has led to a huge decline in monarch populations. Native milkweeds and other native flowers and plants encourage habitats for the butterfly.

Watch our Facebook page, Friends of Hickory Hill Park, for information on a mystery plant, also known as the “monarch magnet,” which will be sold at the plant sale. Supplies are limited so get there early. The identity of the mystery plant will be unveiled on Friday, May 29.

Friends of Hickory Hill Park also accepts donations up to the day before the plant sale. Donated plants can be left in the driveway of 2607 Friendship Street or 435 Rundell Street in Iowa City. Email friends.hh.park@gmail.com or check our Facebook page Friends of Hickory Hill Park for more information.

Environmental science students and the public are invited to help maintain our park at workdays to perform trail maintenance, brush cutting, and garlic mustard pulls. For further information or to sign up, follow the link from the specific day.

For all events, wear closed-toed shoes and long, sturdy pants (no yoga-style pants). If you do not wear closed-toed shoes and long pants, you will be prevented from participating. Bring a pair of work gloves if you can, water, and a snack.

Support the work of Friends of Hickory Hill Park and enjoy the park year-round with a 2015 calendar. They make great presents, especially for out-of-town friends and family. The calendar costs $9 and is available at the following locations: Prairie Lights Bookstore, New Pioneer Co-op, Fin and Feather, Leaf Kitchen, Russ' Northside Service Station, and North Dodge Ace Hardware.

Eagle Scout Walker Jarvie is working at Hickory Hill Park to fulfill his Eagle Scout requirements and needs your help.

The dates are:

Sunday, Oct. 12, 1-5 pm

Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 am-1 pm.

Rain date: Sunday, Oct. 19, 1-5 pm

Jarvie and volunteers will be digging out invasive honeysuckle plants in designated areas. Volunteers need to bring work gloves and old clothes (long sleeves are highly recommended), and tools such as a spade, adz, axe, hatchet, or lopper.

Meet at the northwest entrance to the park, across from the HyVee on North Dodge St., Hwy 1. For further information, contact Walker at wgarvie@gmail.com

There is no limit to how many people can volunteer for each event, and all work days are open to the public. However, we need an estimate of how many are coming and ask that all participants register at the links found below.

IMPORTANT: The park has multiple entrances, and we want you to find us. A map of the park (with the names of park entrances) can be found here.

October 18th (Sat) 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM: Brush management and trail work on the Pappy Dickens Preserve, led by Mike Fallon and John Kardos. Cutting and piling trees and shrubs along designated paths. Shaping and spreading mulch on path. Or cutting and piling honeysuckle shrubs and multiflora rose from woodland areas to encourage native plant growth. Please report to the parking lot of the North Dodge Hy Vee store. Please arrive on time. Late arrivals will be unable to join the group. See clothing suggestions and signup information below.

November 8th (Sat) 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM: Trash Cleanup on the Pappy Dickens Preserve, led by Casey Kohrt and Pete Kollasch. Removing old tires, metal, fencing, and debris from the site, and doing general cleanup of the area. Please report to the parking lot of the North Dodge HyVee store. Please arrive on time. Late arrivals will be unable to join the group. See clothing suggestions and signup information below.

Clothing Suggestion: For all events, wear closed-toed shoes, socks, and full length jeans. If you do not wear closed-toed shoes and long pants, you will be prevented from participating. Bring a pair of work gloves, water and a snack, if you can.